Moab Business License: Treasurer's Office, Fee Schedule and Nightly Rental Rules
Moab Business License: Treasurer's Office, Fee Schedule and Nightly Rental Rules
Moab has 5,206 residents (Census 2025 estimate), and its economy runs on tourism, outdoor recreation, and short-term lodging. If you plan to open a shop, run a tour business, or offer a nightly rental in town, you need a Moab business license. This guide covers who issues it, what it costs, how the nightly rental rules apply, and the order to do things in.
This article is informational, not legal or tax advice. Ordinances, fees, and zoning rules change, so confirm every figure with the agency named before you spend money or sign a lease. For complex situations, talk with a qualified Utah attorney or CPA.
Utah has no statewide business license
Utah does not issue a statewide general business license. Three separate filings get confused with one another:
- Entity registration with the Utah Division of Corporations and Commercial Code, Utah Department of Commerce. This registers your LLC, corporation, or assumed name. It is a registration, not a license. Start at businessregistration.utah.gov.
- Tax registration with the Utah State Tax Commission. Any seller with an established presence in Utah needs a sales tax account, opened through TAP.
- Local business license from the city or county where you operate. Inside Moab city limits, the Treasurer's office issues it. Outside them, Grand County does. This is the license this guide covers.
A license from one city does not transfer to another city, so a license from elsewhere in Utah does not cover a Moab location.
Materials and information to gather
- Your exact street address, and confirmation of whether it sits inside city limits
- Your legal business name and entity type
- For an LLC, the Certificate of Organization (the Utah formation document for an LLC). The filing fee is $59.
- A Utah registered agent with a Utah street address. A PO box may be listed only in addition to a street address.
- An assumed name (DBA) registration, if you will operate under a name other than your legal name. It is filed with the state, not the county.
- A description of your activity: unit count for nightly rentals, products or services, and hours
- Your Utah sales tax account number, if you will collect sales or lodging tax
- Payment for the Treasurer's office. Confirm accepted payment methods when you call.
Moab fee schedule
Fees appear in the Master Fee Schedule under Moab Municipal Code 3.50.050, as published with Ordinance 2026-06, enacted April 14, 2026.
| License type | Initial fee | Renewal fee |
|---|---|---|
| General business | $250 | $52 |
| Nightly rental, 4 units or fewer | $250 | $52 |
| Home occupation | $0 | Confirm with the Treasurer |
A $0 home occupation fee does not mean no paperwork. Ask what the city requires before you assume you are exempt from anything.
Step 1: Confirm you are inside city limits
Call the Treasurer's office at 435-259-5123 with your exact street address and ask which jurisdiction covers it. A Moab mailing address does not prove city limits, and properties on the edge of town are a common source of error. Get the answer in writing or by email before you apply.
Step 2: Choose the correct license category
Most readers fall into one of three categories. General business ($250 initial, $52 renewal) covers most storefronts, service companies, and outfitters. Nightly rental of 4 units or fewer ($250 initial, $52 renewal) covers short-term lodging at that scale. Home occupation covers a business run from a residence at a $0 fee.
Pick the category that matches what you actually do. The schedule summary available here does not state a fee for nightly rentals above 4 units, so do not assume the 4-unit fee applies to a larger operation. Ask the Treasurer which category fits.
Step 3: Complete state registration first
If you operate as an LLC, file the Certificate of Organization through the Utah Business Registration System, logging in with UtahID. The filing fee is $59. Online filings are generally approved instantly, while filings that need manual review are stated at 2 to 4 business days. Corporations file Articles of Incorporation for the same $59 fee.
If you will use a name other than your legal name, file an assumed name (DBA) with the state Division: $22 to register, with a renewal fee (check the Division's DBA page for the current fee and term). The state does not handle DBAs at the county level.
Your state filings are also the basis for the city application, so have your entity documents ready. Once your LLC or corporation is registered, the state annual renewal is $18, and a late renewal carries a $10 fee. The renewal window opens 60 days before your anniversary date. If you need a name held while you prepare, Utah offers a 120-day name reservation for $22.
Step 4: Confirm nightly rental zoning before you pay
Zoning is a separate question from licensing. The nightly rental rules and any limits on license numbers are in Title 5 Chapter 5.67 of the Moab Municipal Code. Call Moab Planning at 435-259-5129 and ask:
- Does my zone allow nightly rentals?
- What unit or occupancy limits apply to my property?
- Must my license number or other approval appear in my listings?
Do not treat a $250 license as proof that the use is permitted. You need both the license and zoning approval.
Step 5: Set up sales and lodging tax collection
Register with the Tax Commission through TAP before you take your first paying customer. Plan for these combined Moab rates from the Tax Commission chart dated April 1, 2026:
| Sale type | Combined rate |
|---|---|
| General sales | 9.35% |
| Restaurant | 10.35% |
| Transient room (lodging) | 16.42% |
The Utah state sales tax rate is 4.85%, and the rest comes from local add-ons. Confirm with the Tax Commission at tax.utah.gov whether your nightly rental needs a separate transient room tax registration, and how and when you must file. Build the combined rate into your pricing from day one.
Step 6: Apply at the Treasurer's office
Submit your application with the Moab Treasurer's office at 435-259-5123. Bring your state registration, address confirmation, chosen category, and payment for the $250 initial fee.
Approval takes as little as three days. Licenses that require council approval can take up to six weeks. If your business needs council action, apply early and ask the Treasurer for the expected timeline in your category.
Step 7: Calendar your renewal
Renewal fees are $52 for general business and nightly rental licenses. Ask the Treasurer for your renewal date when you are issued the license, and put it on your calendar well before it lapses. Renew your state entity annually as well, using the $18 annual renewal and the 60-day window described above.
Watch Ordinance 2026-18
Proposed Ordinance 2026-18 covers private properties that host vendors, and vendor, peddler, and solicitor licenses. It does not cover nightly rentals. Its Planning Commission hearing was scheduled for September 24, 2026, which has already passed. Ask the Treasurer or Moab Planning whether it was adopted and whether it affects your business.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Assuming a Moab address means city limits. Confirm with the Treasurer first.
- Treating state registration as the local license. The state filing does not satisfy the city requirement.
- Using a license from another city. City licenses do not transfer.
- Picking the cheapest category. Choose the category that matches your actual activity.
- Assuming a license equals zoning approval. Nightly rentals need both.
- Filing a DBA with the county. Assumed names are filed with the state Division.
- Skipping lodging tax registration. Price in the 16.42% combined transient room rate.
- Applying late for council-approved licenses. Allow up to six weeks.
Tips for a smoother application
- Call before you visit. Both the Treasurer's office and Moab Planning can tell you what to bring for your category.
- Get every answer in writing, including the jurisdiction ruling and the zoning answer.
- Keep copies of your state filings, license, and tax account confirmations in one folder.
- If you sell alcohol, the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Services (DABS) handles that license separately. Contact them directly before you plan any service.
What to expect when the process goes smoothly
With the steps done in order, you should expect to end up with a state entity registration, a city license issued by the Treasurer's office, and a tax account for the sales and lodging taxes you collect. Timelines depend on your category and whether council approval applies, so the three-day and six-week figures are the range to plan around rather than a guarantee.
For official forms and current fees, start with commerce.utah.gov/corporations for state registration, the DBA page for assumed names, and the Treasurer's office for the Moab license itself. Confirm everything in this guide against those sources before you file.